Developer supply container and developer supplying system

Abstract

A developer supply container is configured for supplying developer through a developer receiving portion displaceably provided in a developer receiving apparatus to which the developer supply container is detachably mountable. The developer supply container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating developer and and engaging portion engageable with the developer receiving portion. The engaging portion is configured such that when the developer supply container is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus by inserting in an inserting direction, the engaging portion is capable of starting engagement with the developer receiving portion.

1 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A developer supply container for supplying developer through a developer receiving portion displaceably provided in a developer receiving apparatus to which the developer supply container is detachably mountable, the developer supply container comprising:
 a developer accommodating portion for accommodating developer; and   an engaging portion engageable with the developer receiving portion,   characterized in that the engaging portion is configured such that, when the developer supply container is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus by inserting in an inserting direction, the engaging portion is capable of starting engagement with the developer receiving portion and further the engaging portion is configured such that with a further insertion of the developer supply container in the inserting direction the engaging portion engaged with the developer receiving portion is capable of displacing the developer receiving portion toward the developer supply container in a direction crossing with the inserting direction with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to establish a connected state between the developer supply container and the developer receiving portion.   
     
     
         27 . A developer supply container according to  claim 26 , wherein the engaging portion displaces the developer receiving portion with the mounting operation of the developer supply container so as to unseal the developer receiving portion. 
     
     
         28 . A developer supply container according to  claim 26 , further comprising an opening formed in the developer accommodating portion, a communication port which is communicatable with the opening, a shutter for opening and closing the opening with a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container,
 wherein the engaging portion includes:   a first engaging portion for displacing the developer receiving portion toward the developer supply container with the mounting operation of the developer supply container so as to establish the connected state between the communication port and a receiving port formed in the developer receiving portion, and   a second engaging portion for maintaining the connected state between the communication port and the receiving port so as to communicate the opening with the communication port when the developer accommodating portion moves relative to the shutter with the mounting operation of the developer supply container.   
     
     
         29 . A developer supply container according to  claim 28 , wherein the first engaging portion extends in the direction crossing with the inserting direction of the developer supply container. 
     
     
         30 . A developer supply container according to  claim 28 , wherein the shutter includes a holding portion held by the developer receiving apparatus with the mounting operation of the developer supply container so as to permit the movement of the developer accommodating portion relative to the shutter. 
     
     
         31 . A developer supply container according to  claim 30 , wherein the shutter includes a supporting portion for displaceably supporting the holding portion, and the developer supply container includes a regulating portion for maintaining the held state of the holding portion by the developer receiving apparatus by regulating an elastic deformation of the supporting portion with mounting operation of the developer supply container, and by permitting the elastic deformation of the supporting portion after completion of a spacing operation of the developer receiving portion by the engaging portion. 
     
     
         32 . A developer supply container according to  claim 28 , further comprising a shielding portion for shielding the communication port when the shutter is in a sealing position. 
     
     
         33 . A developer supply container according to  claim 26 , further comprising a removal engaging portion for displacing the developer receiving portion in a direction of spacing from the developer supply container with a dismounting operation of the developer supply container. 
     
     
         34 . A developer supply container according to  claim 33 , wherein the removal engaging portion displaces the developer receiving portion with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container to effect a sealing operation of the developer receiving portion. 
     
     
         35 . A developer supply container according to  claim 33 , wherein the removal engaging portion displaces the developer receiving portion in a direction crossing the dismounting direction of the developer supply container. 
     
     
         36 . A developer supply container according to  claim 26 , further comprising a drive inputting portion for receiving a driving force from the developer receiving apparatus and a pump portion so that an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion alternately and repetitively changes between a pressure lower than ambient pressure and a pressure higher than the ambient pressure,
 wherein the developer accommodating portion includes a rotatable developer feeding chamber for feeding the developer, and a developer discharging chamber provided with an opening for permitting discharging of the developer and held by the developer receiving apparatus so as to be non-rotatable relative to the developer receiving apparatus, and   wherein the engaging portion is integral with the developer discharging chamber.   
     
     
         37 . A developer supplying system comprising a developer supply container according to  claim 26 , and a developer receiving apparatus to which the developer supply container is detachably mounted,
 the system further comprising a developer receiving portion for receiving the developer from the developer supply container,   wherein the developer receiving portion is displaceable toward the developer supply container with the mounting operation of the developer supply container to establish a connected state with the developer supply container.   
     
     
         38 . A developer supply container according to  claim 26 , wherein the engaging portion comprises an inclined portion, inclined relative to an inserting direction of the developer supply container, for engaging with the developer receiving portion with the mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion toward the developer supply container. 
     
     
         39 . A developer supply container according to  claim 38 , wherein the inclined portion displaces the developer receiving portion with the mounting operation of the developer supply container so as to effect an unsealing operation of the developer receiving portion. 
     
     
         40 . A developer supply container according to  claim 38 , wherein the inclined portion displaces the developer receiving portion in the direction crossing the inserting direction of the developer supply container. 
     
     
         41 . A developer supply container according to  claim 38 , further comprising an opening formed in the developer accommodating portion, a communication port which is communicatable with the opening, a shutter for opening and closing the opening with a mounting and demounting operations of the developer supply container, and an expanded portion for maintaining the connected state between the communication port and the receiving port so as to communicate the opening with the communication port when the developer accommodating portion moves relative to the shutter with the mounting operation of the developer supply container,
 wherein the inclined portion and the expanded portion are connected with each other.   
     
     
         42 . A developer supply container according to  claim 41 , wherein the shutter includes a holding portion held by the developer receiving apparatus with the mounting operation of the developer supply container so as to permit the movement of the developer accommodating portion relative to the shutter. 
     
     
         43 . A developer supply container according to  claim 42 , wherein the shutter includes a supporting portion for displaceably supporting the holding portion, and the developer supply container includes a regulating portion for maintaining a held state of the holding portion by the developer receiving apparatus by regulating an elastic deformation of the supporting portion with mounting operation of the developer supply container, and by permitting the elastic deformation of the supporting portion after completion of a spacing operation of the developer receiving portion by the engaging portion. 
     
     
         44 . A developer supply container according to  claim 41 , further comprising a shielding portion for shielding the communication port when the shutter is in a resealing position. 
     
     
         45 . A developer supply container according to  claim 38 , wherein the inclined portion is configured to displace the developer receiving portion in a direction of spacing from the developer supply container with a dismounting operation of the developer supply container. 
     
     
         46 . A developer supply container according to  claim 45 , wherein the inclined portion displaces the developer receiving portion with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container to effect a sealing operation of the developer receiving portion. 
     
     
         47 . A developer supply container according to  claim 45 , wherein the inclined portion displaces the developer receiving portion in a direction crossing the dismounting direction of the developer supply container. 
     
     
         48 . A developer supply container according to  claim 38 , further comprising a drive inputting portion to which a driving force is inputted from the developer receiving apparatus and a pump portion so that an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion alternately and repetitively changes between a pressure lower than a ambient pressure and a pressure higher than the ambient pressure,
 wherein the developer accommodating portion includes a rotatable developer feeding chamber for feeding the developer, and a developer discharging chamber provided with an opening for permitting discharging of the developer and held by the developer receiving apparatus so as to be non-rotatable relative to the developer receiving apparatus, and   wherein the inclined portion is integral with the developer discharging chamber.   
     
     
         49 . A developer supplying system comprising a developer supply container according to  claim 38 , and a developer receiving apparatus to which the developer supply container is detachably mounted, with the system further comprising a developer receiving portion for receiving the developer from the developer supply container,
 wherein the developer receiving portion is displaceable toward the developer supply container with the mounting operation of the developer supply container to establish a connected state with the developer supply container.